Senate Confirmation Hearings: Trump’s Cabinet Picks For Commerce, Transportation To Face Committee Vote Tuesday

Days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the Senate is getting ready to vote on his cabinet picks for the secretary of commerce — Wilbur Ross — and the head of the transportation department — Elaine Chao.

The Senate Commerce Committee said Sunday it will vote on the nominations of billionaire investor Ross and former Labor Secretary Chao on Tuesday. Once the picks have been approved by the committee, the Senate will take up their nominations.

Republicans have been critical of the speed at which Senate Democrats are approving Trump’s cabinet picks — only two of his nominations have been approved yet — but Democrats maintain it is necessary for those taking office to face proper questioning.

“These people are going to have enormous power over Americans for years,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told NBC on Sunday. “To have a little bit of debate and discussion before they take office — if I were the Republicans, of course I’d want to ram a Cabinet like this through.”

According to reports, as Trump looks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Ross is expected to play an important role in decision making. The president said Sunday he had already spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

“Anybody ever hear of NAFTA?” Trump reportedly said during a swearing-in ceremony for senior White House staff. “I ran a campaign somewhat based on NAFTA. But we’re going to start renegotiating on NAFTA, on immigration and on security at the border, and Mexico has been terrific, actually, terrific. And the president has been really very amazing, I think we’re going to have a very good result for Mexico, for the United States, for everybody involved.”

Chao is an experienced politician who served in the administrations of both President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush. She is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and is expected to oversee huge infrastructure spending, following Trump’s promise to spend $1 trillion on roads, bridges and other projects.